This description relates to operation of sensor networks such as those used for security, intrusion and alarm systems installed on industrial or commercial or residential premises.
It is common for businesses to have various types of systems such as intrusion detection, fire detection and surveillance systems for detecting various alarm conditions at their premises and signaling the conditions to a monitoring station or authorized users. Other systems that are commonly found in businesses are access control systems have card readers and access controllers to control access, e.g., open or unlock doors, etc. These systems use various types of sensors such as motion detectors, cameras, and proximity sensors, thermal, optical, vibration sensors and so forth.
Typical multi-sensor systems deployed in residential and commercial buildings gather data by sensors that is fed into a unified location (typically referred to as a panel) such that relevant decisions can be made by the panel. For example, intrusion detection systems include an intrusion detection panel that receives sensors deployed on windows and doors that communicate information to the intrusion detection panel regarding states of the sensors, e.g., opened or closed or in the process of being forced. The intrusion panel receives that information and evaluates the information to determine if an intrusion has occurred and if the police or monitoring company needs to be notified. In other systems all of such data is sent to a secondary system for processing.